Air odor control device



April 21, 1964 E. c. O'HAGAN AIR DOOR CONTROL DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 19, 1959 INVENTOR EL WIN a, owe/w agmgzmv ATTORNEY-5 April 21, 1964 Filed May 19, 1959 E. c. OHAGAN AIR DOOR CONTROL DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR EL WIN a. ems/w April 21, 1964 E. c. O'HAGAN 3,129,888

AIR DOOR CONTROL DEVICE Filed May 19. 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR EL WIN C. OHAGMN sym- ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,129,888 Am ODOR CSNTRGL DEVICE Elwin Clarence QHagan, Chicago, Ell, assignor to interstate Sanitation Corporation Filed May 19, 1959, Ser. No. 814,285 1 Claim. (fill. 239-55) This invention relates to air odor control devices, and more particularly to porous containers and the like for holding and dispensing vapors for controlling air odors in a uniform manner.

Although there have been proposed various types of air odor modifying agents, such as solid paradichlorobenzene or liquids, such as aqueous formaldehyde solutions, volatile organic liquids and the like, there has been no simple device of this character wherein even limited control of the dispensing of the air odor modifying agent is exercised. This is a principal object of the present invention.

The invention relates more specifically to air odor control devices which hold and dispense volatile liquids at a uniform rate. The invention comprises porous liquid adsorptive material constituting a part or all of the container for holding and dispensing air odor control material.

It is known to use spray-type washers for the removal or neutralization of noxious components from large volumes of gas or air. Further, it is conventional practice to employ deodorizing materials, such as soft waxes, creams, pastes, viscous fluids or two-phase mixtures. The efiiciency of these materials, however, is largely dependent upon their vaporization rate which is governed by a set of factors which cannot readily be controlled so that the active life of the deodorizer cannot be predicted. For a given material, with a fixed vapor pressure curve and a predetermined evaporating surface area, there are a number of variable factors which are difficult to control when conventional air odor control compositions are used.

The rate of evaporation increases or decreases with changes in air movement. Winds, draughts, fans and moving people set up eddy currents of air which disturb the evaporation characteristics of the exposed air deodorant material. Metal shields drilled with holes currently used to protect air odor control materials from air currents are helpful but convection currents still reach the relatively exposed air odor control materials evaporating surface.

Further, evaporation changes result from ambient temperatures in the air odor control material dispenser and in the moving air which sweeps over it. Moreover, because of the complex interactions attending, no prediction of use rate evaporation can be made from laboratory control evaporation tests on a given air odor control material.

This invention relates to the use of a combination of porous absorbent material and a perforated container holding vaporizable air odor control liquid, and which is not disturbed unduly in its evaporation rate by the effects of air currents and ambient temperature changes in the surrounding atmosphere. In such porous containers, the efflux of evaporating material is diffusive rather than convective, and incident moving air sweeping over the container does not enter therein except by diffusion in the same manner as still air.

Rigid materials such as metal, ceramics, wood, and plastic compositions with irregularly spaced holes may be made with drills, punches or presses, or which are formed or cast with microscopic holes, permit convective evaporation at rates far exceeding diffusive evaporation, and are not utilized in this invention. Flexible containers of coarse perforated structure such as jute or burlap sacking, perforated polyethylene sheet, or coarsely woven cloths or textiles are likewise of little value since they allow an excess of convective transfer between air external to their enclosure and vapors contained within. In the present invention the containers comprise materials of such fine porosity that convective vapor transfer is so small as to be essentially non-existent whilst diffusive vapor transfer falls within the limits desired.

The invention is further concerned with providing containers that in some measure aid in governing the rate at which air odor control materials enter into the air space to be deodored or re-odored. At the same time, the porosity of the materials out of which such containers are made must either be such that the air odor control composition placed therein is not at the same time capable of draining therethrough by hydrostatic pressure, or else the container must be only partly porous so that the fluid or liquid contents therein rest on or impinge against essentially nonporous walls.

While a given material may be made up in several porosities, it has been found better to consider a number of materials, each of which has a range of porosities. In this way, for each type or kind of air odor control filling used, an optimum choice can be made for not only porosity, but also for weight, size, shape, and appearance of the dispensing container, and for chemical resistance requirements imposed by the nature of the filling itself.

Porous material, for example sponges, either natural or synthetic, are used to hold and dispense the air odor control vaporizable liquid. Containers having perforated side walls may he used to retain the sponge material. The sponge and perforated Walls of the container function synergistically to control the evaporation rate of the air odor control liquid absorbed by the sponge.

This invention relates not only to the provision of an air odor control means for steady and even rate evaporation from dispensers situated in locations where air movement is incidental, but also in locations where the evaporating device is deliberately situated in the path of an air stream such as that of a fan, a ventilator, an air conditioner, or the like, so that the stream of air passing the container will carry the vapors of the active odor controlling agent with it to assist in deodorizing or reodoring air through a large area or volume as in a theater, assembly hall, railroad car, ships hold, airplane seating cabin, factory floor, processing bay, restaurant, department store, warehouse, or the like. In this latter use, the selected porosity of the container and sponge material used can be further of value in controlling the rate of deodoring beyond that obtained by shaping the air odor control filling geometrically or by changing its evaporation rate by compounding.

The pressure differential acting to produce flow of vapor through a porous material by a volatile material is proportional to the vapor pressure of said vaporizing material. Thus, if a material is quite volatile its rate of flow through a given porous barrier would be high, and the material would soon be exhausted by evaporation. On the other hand, if a barrier of smaller porosity is taken, a slower, more amenable rate of exhaustion of the material can be imposed in a given situation.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide containers for air odor control and air sanitizing agents ordinarily considered far too volatile for prolonged peri ods of usage in a forced draft system, such as aqueous formaldehyde solutions.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an air odor control dispenser from which neither spray nor dust is dispersed even by a violent flow of air about the dispenser.

For a vapor pressure diffusion force equivalent to 0.06 inch Hg, stainless steel of 35 micron average pore diameter permits 10 times as much vapor to pass as for 5 micron average pore diameter sheeting of the same thickncss. Thus, the rate of passage of air odor control vapors into moving air can be controlled as desired.

This invention provides not only for dispensers for liquid, semi-fluid, ultra-viscous, semi-solid and solid air odor control agents that may be deodorants and/or odorants and/or reodorants, but also has within its purview the provision of a new dispensing means for such materials containing volatile bactericides, fungicides, insecticides or the like.

It is a further object of this invention to provide containers simpler in installation and use and superior in operating practice to presently available containers or dispensers such as hand or mechanical sprays, inverted well evaporation cups, wick dispensers, and other types of dispensers known in the art.

The dispensers made of such materials may be of various shapes and sizes as befits the nature of their employ. The materials for them listed above are always available as fiat stock, and a test apparatus for them is readily made by gluing them to a section of Pyrex tubing of about 20 mm. inner diameter. Porosities can then be readily measured by measuring with compressed air for five pore materials and with water for coarser materials. Materials that can stand a loading of 3 pounds per square inch or more can be used for most liquids. Materials that are much more porous cannot be used Without first thickening the liquid to prevent its drainage through the walls of the vessel. Use is preferably made of a complex container which is porous only above the liquid level.

The invention will be further illustrated as embodiments thereof in the drawings, and wherein- FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of a container having perforated side walls and which is filled with a sponge saturated with the air odor control liquid, parts of the container being broken away to illustrate the sponge body and liquid reservoir in the bottom of the container;

FIGURE 2 is a similar view of a sponge containing the air odor control liquid and which sponge is retained in a flexible bag or sack having gas permeable walls and which is adapted for retaining the liquid in the sponge for containing the liquid without a reservoir;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a modification wherein a package is provided comprising a sponge containing volatilizable deodorant retained in a transparent bag, e.g., a polyethylene plastic or the like, the top portion of the bag being open to permit limited evaporation of the deodorant;

FIGURE 4 is a view in elevation of a deodorant sponge package, similar to that of FIGURE 3, and having a ring or eye tab secured to the top wall portion of the plastic bag whereby the sponge package can be supported on a hook or pin during use;

FIGURE 5 is a modified sponge package structure and wherein the deodorant sponge is enclosed in an inner plastic bag, the walls of which are perforated to permit limited and controlled evaporation of the deodorant from the sponge, the sponge and perforated inner bag being sealed in an outer plastic bag during storage and from which it is removed for use;

FIGURE 6 illustrates a further modification of the sponge package shown in FIGURE 5, and wherein the sponge carrying the volatilizable deodorant is shown sealed in a plastic bag, and shown slitted by a knife blade to expose the sponge for release of the deodorant during use;

FIGURE 7 illustrates a compact type package or container into which is fitted a sponge carrying deodorant, the top or lid of the container which fits snugly thereon being removable to release the deodorant;

FIGURE 8 is a view in perspective of a similar view as FIGURE 3, and wherein the top is completely sealed, being adapted to be opened with a pair of scissors to release deodorant;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective View, partly broken away and illustrating a top closure which is opened by the peeling of an adhesive strip or tape; and

FIGURE 10 is a view in perspective on a smaller scale, and illustrating the mounting of an air odor control unit on a cardboard stand whereby the deodorant package is held upright.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURE 1, there a container is illustrated generally indicated at It), having perforated side walls 11 and a bottom liquid containing portion 12 which retains liquid air control material which flows or drips from the sponge and is retained for re-absorption by the sponge 14 as the air control liquid is evaporated through the walls 11. The sponge member 13 is arranged substantially to till the container it) and the walls of the container it) are provided with evenly spaced openings 15 and which form container walls having substatially uniform porosity. Preferably the pores or openings 15 are from 1 to 5 microns in diameter and evenly spaced. The number of holes per square inch of wall surface approximates 400.

For supporting the sponge l4 and container 10, a wire handle 16 is provided which is attached at the upper band portion as shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 2 is a modification of the sponge container as illustrated in FIGURE 1, and wherein a silk sack or bag 20 is provided for retaining the sponge 14. In this instance the sponge 14 is saturated with the air odor control liquid and then inserted into the sack 20 which is closed at the top by drawing the portions 22 together by a string or cable member 23, as illustrated in FIGURE 2. A link or ring 24 is disposed on the outer end of the rope of cable 23 for providing means to hang the container and the sponge in a desired position such as on a hook in a closet. The sponge sack may be placed in the pocket of a garment.

The invention is particularly concerned with controlled methods and means for controlling air odors by dissemination of the vapors of menthadienes and with combinations of compositions comprising the menthadienes and dispensers therefor for use in said methods.

Ortho-, paraand meta-menthadienes may be present in the compositions. However, para-menthadienes will usually be the active air odor control agent of the composition since it occurs in substantial amount in various crude or commercial extracts which are selected for use in making up the compositions to be dispensed as described because of ready availability and low cost.

The air odor control liquid may be thickened or solidified for use in this method. It may be a commercial terpene containing 40%95% of the menthadiene having the desired chemical lability. One such liquid is the citrus oil product marketed as Menthadiene by the Florida Molasses Co, and which obtains about of d-limonene. Other suitable commercial products are coniferous wood extracts containing about 50 of d, llimonene (dipentene). In general, crude or commercial products containing 40% to 95% of the menthadiene, such as the optical isomers dor l-limonene, or dipentene, may be used.

The air odor control liquids are preferably stabilized against gumming and odor staling on evaporation prior to any thickening thereof by the inclusion of anti-oxidants which may be present in an amount of 0.0002 to 5% by weight, preferably 0.001% to 2.0% or 3.0%. Suitable anti-oxidants include, for example- Tenox BHA (butyl hydroxyanisole; marketed by Tennessee Eastman Co.)

National Aniline B (marketed by National Aniline Div. of Allied Chemical & Dye Corp. for use as anti-skim ning agent in paints) NDGC-essentially nor-dihydroguairetic acid; marketed by Nordigard Corp.

Compound l9-essentially 2,2 -methylene-di-p-cresol;

marketed by Sindar Corp.

Sustane #1, Sustane #lF, Sustane #3, Sustane #31 Sustane #6-mixtures of tertiary butyl hydroxyanisole with synergists in neutral solvents; marketed by Universal Oil Products Co.

dbpc-Food grade ditertiary butyl-p-cresol; marketed by Koppers Company Propyl gallate Ethyl gallate VoidoxModified food grade tertiary butylated phenol;

marketed by Guardian Chemical Corp.

The crude or commercial products containing the methadienes may be diluted with 5% to or even equal parts of an inert hydrocarbon solvent having a vapor pressure similar to the partial vapor pressure of the menthadienes in the composition. Hydrocarbons that may be used include:

Soltrol 130 (a completely odorless petroleum fraction marketed by Phillips Petroleum Co.)

Shell Sol 72 (a petroleum fraction marketed by Shell Development Co.)

Penn Drake 2251 (a petroleum fraction marketed by Pennsylvania Refining Co.)

Odorless 360 solvent, odorless mineral spirits-standard petroleum fraction Shell 140 flash solvent, Shell 140 solvent, Shell 36 solvent-petroleum fractions marketed by Shell Development Co.

Shell mineral spirits (marketed by Shell Development The curde or commercial product, such as the coniferous Wood extracts, may fortified with 5-20%, or up to equal parts, of a pure menthadiene, such as d, or Z- limonene or dipentene, or with 520% or up to equal parts, of a commercial product having a high concentration (90-95%) of a menthadiene of the desired chemical lability. For example, a commercial product containing 50% dipentene may be mixed with menthadiene containing 95% d-limonene.

These two-component systems may be further modified by inclusion of the inert hydrocarbon solvent in amounts of 520%. Three-component systems in which the crude dipentene or other menthadiene, pure menthadiene or extract containing 9095% thereof and hydrocarbon solvent are used in equal parts or in any suitable proportions and containing, also, the small amount of stabilizing antioxidant may be prepared and dispensed in accordance with the invention.

The air odor control liquids may have mixed therewith deodorants, reodorants, perfumes and/or odor masking materials in amounts of, usually, 240% by weight.

The air odor control liquids may be thickened or gelled by means of various materials soluble or dispersible therein with heating or in the cold.

On heating, dipentenes and menthadiene dissolve Waxes, and such may be used as a thickening agent for the normally liquid air odor control agent in a concentration and of a melting point to provide a composition of predetermined increased viscosity.

The compositions to be dispensed may comprise natural or synthetic wax. Thus, the following waxes may be used to thicken air odor control liquid; Borneo waxes (such as Pyrowax, a generic term for an extremely large crystalloid refined petroleum wax obtained from petroleum found in Borneo), palm waxes (such as Ross No. 1 and No. 093, marketed by Frank B. Ross 00.), Petrolites (e.g. Crowri 700, a high melting microcrystalline wax marketed by Petrol-ire Corporation), microcrystalline Waxes of the type of Bareco Be Square Amber 190/95 (a wax of M.P. 190*-l95 F. marketed by Bareco Oil Co.), ozokerites like Three Star White (a commercially available top grade bleached mineral ozokerite wax), ceresines (e.g. Salomons White D-13, one commercially available imitation ceresine wax), and the like.

The finely divided halogenated castor oil product sold by Baker Chemical Company under the trade name Thixcin gels dipentenes in the cold to yield a product useful in the instant method of controlling air odors. Waxes of larger particle size, e.g. Castor Wax (hydrogenated castor oil, marketed by Baker Castor Oil Co.), Cenw-ax Wax A (hydrogenated castor oil fatty acid, marketed by W. D. Hardesty Co.), Opalwax 10 (hydrogenated castor oil marketed by Du Pont), must be melted into the dipentenes but the products obtained are essentially the same as those obtained using Thixcin in the cold.

The Gersthofen waxes (formerly known as the LG. waxes) are suitable for thickening the air odor control liquids comprising the menthadiene, notably Gersthofen Waxes O, E, OP, OM, L, and S. Relatively small amounts (545%) of 35% Gersthofen Wax S" or of Thixcin in a commercial dipentene yields an excellent product.

By melting resinous, plastic or polymeric products into a commercial dipentene or menthadiene or compositions comprising those terpenes, the desired degree of thickening or gelling can be obtained, depending on the amount of solute used per unit volume of solvent.

The thickening or gelling solutes for the air odor control fluids contemplated include polyethylenes, polyethylene lubricants and emulsifiable polyethylenes of 1.0- 40% concentration (depending on the Dow Melt Index number) and also acrylic resins such as Lucite, Acryloids B-82 and B-72 (polyacrylates of intermediate molecular weight marketed by Rohm-Haas C0.), Cyclovar resins (commercially available paracoumaronindene resins), polyvinyl alcohols, polyvinyl acetates like Elvacets (such as 40 15 marketed by Du Pont), Orizon (a polyethylene molding powder marketed by Monsanto Chemical Co.), rosins both modified and unmodified and including Staybelites (modified wood rosins marketed by Hercules Powder Co.), resins. of the types of Monsanto C3, Dow PS3, Lustrex 3 and 15 (marketed by Monsan-to Chemical Co.), Plaskons (marketed by Semet- Solvay Div. of Allied Chemical and Dye Corporation), Exons (marketed by Firestone Rubber Co.), and Opalon (marketed by Monsanto Chemical Co.).

The air odor control liquids may be thickened or gelled by mixing therewith ethyl cellulose having the ethoxy contents of types G, K, N and T, and the viscosity ranges (standard C.P.S.) of 5, 7, 10, 14, 15, 40, 50, 100, 200 and 500, as obtainable from Hercules Powder Co. and the high melt index ethocels R2 and LTSE marketed by Dow Chemical Co.

All polystyrenes including refractory types like Styron 666, 700 and 0 767.6 (polystyrene molding powders marketed by Dow Chemical Co.) are acceptable thickeners for the air odor control liquids.

The polyethylenes Q 940, Q 940.2, Q 941.3, Q 941.7, AC, G, GA, 7, 615, 617A, 629, 630, 631: Plaskon 8407, 8406, 8416, 8417 and 8429, Styrofoam 22, 23 and Q 907.1 (foamed polystyrenes marketed by Dow Chemical Co.) made up in 5 and 10% solutions in air odor control liquids such as menthadiene or Newport Dicom No. 1 (a commercial dipentene marketed by Newport Co.) at F. are useful products for my present purposes. Solutions of 15-20% concentration have greater viscosity. Gels are obtained at solute concentrations of 25-35%.

Metallic soap gels ofiier the advantage of being easily made and do not change much in viscosity with temperature change. Aluminum soap gels do not melt in the ordinary sense, and are immune to ambient temperature changes throughout the year.

The best metallic soap gellants for the air odor control liquids or compositions comprising them are aluminum bi-soaps or di-soaps, and of these the preferred soap is aluminum monohydroxy bis d, l-2-ethyhexanoate sold by various suppliers as aluminum octoate. The cheaper aluminum naphthenates can be substituted for the aluminum octoate.

The commercial dipentene marketed by Hercules Pow-..

der Co. under the designation Hercules dipentene 122 is gelled in five minutes at 50 C. after the addition thereto of 2% Witco aluminum octoate (marketed by Witco Chemical Co). With 3-309?) of aluminum octoate, the product menthadiene (9095% d-limonene) yields stiffer gels than does the commercial dipentene, but both products are within the scope of this invention and useful in controlling air odors by dissemination of the vapors through dispensers as described herein.

In general, concentrated octotate-men-thadiene gels are most conveniently prepared by mixing the menthadiene or composition comprising it with the aluminum octoate in the cold, heating the mixture to 60 C. to set it, and ageing it for 24 hours.

It is possible to thicken the air odor control fluids for dispensation of the vapors from porous containers of the type contemplated by mixing the fluid with one or more of the following or each of the following and a filling agent such as Solka-Floc (commercially available finely divided wood cellulose), sawdust, etc. or one or more of the following any of which may be a composite mixture of one or more of its type or class: .organoclays, silica, wax, plastics, aluminum soap. In this way, the viscosity vapor retention, rate of evaporation and crumbling of evaporation residue may be controlled.

As an example, gms. of Bentone 34, 100 grns. Solka- Floc BW 200, 10 gms. aluminum octoate Parsons, 10 grns. Thixcin, 10 gms. Gersthofen Wax S, and 500 gins. dipentene (containing 0.3 g. Tenox BHA as anti-oxidant,

1 ml. of neoneuthocene reodorant and 1 ml. of Nilskin anti-skinning agent) were homogenized and allowed to set for 24 hours. The mass was then heated to 180 F. and, with stirring, 100 gms. of Dow Polyethylene Q 941.4 was dissolved therein. On cooling, a material resulted which had a vapor pressure 90% as high as pure dipentene solvent.

Mixing of attapulgite clays such as Permagel and bentonite clays such as Volclay (a quick gelling bentonite marketed by American Colloid Co.) and wetting agents like Alrose Amine 0" or S, (marketed by Alrose Chemical Co.) with the menthadienes or compositions comprising them yields greases which are acceptable air odor control compositions for use in the present method. Organically modified bentonite, e.g., Dutch Boy Bentone 34 (dimethyldioctadecyl ammonium montrnorillom'te) also produces useful greases when mixed with the air odor control liquids.

For example, a useable grease-like product is obtained When Hercules dipentene 122 is placed in a Waring Blendor, the motor is started, and 14 gms. of Bentone 34 are aliquoted in until the mass has the desired consistency.

Finely divided silica hydrogels or aerosols, such as Santocel 54 (Monsanto Chemical Co), Dow Corning Silica (or the pellets), Syloid 244 grade 968 (Davison Chemical Co.) and Cab-O-Sil (Godfrey L. Cabot Inc.) may be mixed with the air odor control liquids to ob tain weak but non-flowing gels which may be dispensed from containers which retain the gels but permit free passage of the vapors of the liquid into the air.

For example, when about 4.92 gins. of Cab-O-Sil are mixed with 95.08 grns. of Nelio dipentene 1A( marketed by Glidden Paint Co. and containing an anti-oxidant) and the mixture is allowed to stand overnight, a firm, transparent gel of excellent odor stability is obtained. A structurally stronger gel is obtained if 7.8 gins. of the "Cab-O-Sil are mixed with Dixie steam-distilled dipentenes.

These compositions comprising the air odor control liquids and a sufiicient amount of the thickening or gelling agent soluble or dispersible therein to impart the desired gel or semi-fluid character to the composition are used in the present method by placing them in a dispensing device as described and from at least some portion of the exposed surfaces of which the vapors of the air odor control liquid freely diffuse into the surrounding air at uniform, constant rate. The air odor is thus controlled by diffusion of the vapors through the dispenser at a steady uniform rate so that constant control of the air odor is obtained for a maximum period of time from a given mass of the composition.

Compositions used in the method may contain varying amounts of the thickening or gelling agent, such as amounts between 5% and 30% or higher and even up to 50%. The dispensing devices used in this method and having the required porosity and other characteristics may be made of any of the materials specified herein, or any equivalent material, and may have any desired size, shape, wall thickness, and porosity to be selected depending on the consistency of the air odor control composition.

The present invention provides an improved means for dispensing the air odor control liquid. In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1, as pointed out above, there is provided a sponge in which the vaporizable air odor control liquid is absorbed, the sponge being arranged to substantially fill the container with a portion of the air odor control liquid dripping or flowing from the saturated sponge and forming a well in the bottom of the container, as illustrated in FIGURE 1. The spone is retained in the perforated dispenser so that the porous capillary sponge material acts as a well to permit uniform evaporation of the air odor control constituent from the sponge outwardly from the perforated walls of the container and from the top surface of the sponge as it is retained in the container.

If desired a perforated cover may be applied to form a closure for the container shown in FIGURE 1, the top or lid being perforated similarly as the walls of the container.

In the modification shown in FIGURE 2, the sponge or porous capillary material is partially saturated with the air odor control liquid and the sponge containing the absorbed liquid is then placed in a fabric or the like sack and positioned where des red for controlling the air odor. In this instance the air odor control constituent acts as a self-container or may be placed in a cloth sack as shown in FIGURE 2, or an air permeable bag and which is hung in a closet or placed in an air space whereby the air odor control constituent is evaporated therefrom and through the Walls of the bag without the liquid flowing or dripping from the sponge.

In the air odor control modification as shown in FIG- URE 3, a sponge 35) carrying the liquid air odor control deodorant material is placed in a plastic bag 31 and which may be made of polyethylene or polypropylene or the like plastic material. The top portion 32 of the bag is left open to control air contact with the sponge 30 to thus limit the rate of evaporation of the deodorant.

In FIGURE 4 the upper wall 33 of the bag 31 is provided with a ring or I-tab 35 which is utilized for hanging or supporting the air odor control package on a hook or pin during use. Such a hook or pin may be placed on a wall or in clothing or material to be deodorized.

In FIGURE 5 another modification is illustrated, and wherein the sponge package structure shown comprises a sponge 36 in which the liquid deodorant is absorbed and which sponge is enclosed in a separate bag or covering 37. The outer walls of the bag 37 comprise perforations such as shown at 39, and which are of the desired size and spacing so as to permit air to contact the sponge and evaporate the deodorant therefrom.

The perforated bag 37 enclosing the sponge 36 is placed in an outer plastic bag 4% and sealed so that the same is protected against evaporation of the deodorant during storage. The top opening of the plastic bag 40 for this purpose is sealed as at 41 so as to provide a hermetically closed package which upon use is removed from the outer bag and exposed to the air which passes through the openings or perforations 39 to bring about volatilization of the deodorant.

In FIGURE 6 a further modification is illustrated and wherein a sponge 42 is provided and which is saturated with a liquid deodorant and enclosed in a sealed plastic bag 43. In this modification when it is desired to use the deodorant the bag 43 is slitted as at 44, by the use of a knife such as illustrated at 45. One or more slits may be made in the walls of the package or container 43 as desired, depending upon the desired rate of evaporation of the deodorant from the sponge.

In FIGURE 7 there is is illustrated a compact type package or container 48 which is adapted to retain a sponge 49 carrying the deodorant liquid material which is volatile or readily evaporated on contact with air at ordinary room temperature. The sponge 49 containing the liquid deodorant is fitted snugly into the case 50 being in the bottom portion of the container, and a closely fitting lid 51 telescopes over the bottom portion as at 52 to prevent access of air to the sponge and cause evaporation of the deodorant when it is not desired. Upon removing the lid 51 the sponge surface pores are exposed whereby the deodorant is evaporated to bring about deodorization of the air surrounding the container.

In FIGURE 8 a modification is shown and wherein an air odor control unit 60 which comprises a sponge 61 saturated with liquid deodorant is retained hermetically sealed in a polyethylene bag 62. The top of the bag is sealed, as by fusion, along the top edge portions 63. To activate the unit, the top portion is cut off with a knife or pair of scissors.

In FIGURE 9 a modified closure is illustrated for the deodorant unit 65 and wherein the top section 66 is retained sealed to the lower polyethylene bag by means of an adhesive strip or tape 68. To remove the top portion 66 and activate the unit the sealing strip 68 is stripped oil by grasping the end portion 69 and peeling the same away.

FIGURE illustrates an air deodorant control unit 70, which is provided with a top-opening sealing strip 71, and mounted on a cardboard support 72. The unit comprising a sponge '73 and plastic bag 74 is suitably secured to the cardboard sheet, as by gluing or bonding a central portion of the rear side wall of the bag thereto. A rearward hinged flap 75 is provided on the rear side of the cardboard to permit the unit to be supported in upright position as illustrated. The deodorant sponge-package is retained completely sealed until ready for use, and at which time the top of the polytheylene bag is opened or removed to expose the sponge releasing the deodorant.

Other porous sponge-like material may be employed in place of natural or synthetic sponges for absorbing the liquid deodorant as pointed out above. For this purpose silica gels and the like which have the capacity of retaining the deodorant or air odor control liquid are suitable for use. In this improved air odor control dispensing means use is made of a sponge or porous capillary material either as disposed in a perforated container or used without a container, particularly wherein the porous body has evenly spaced pores at its surface.

An essential feature of the invention comprises the use of a combination porous capillary material for retaining the air odor control liquid and enclosed container therefor which has accurately spaced pores of a predetermined dimension and covering a predetermined area so as to control the rate of evaporation of the air odor control liquid so that it is not only uniform but can be readily determined as to the length of time the air odor control liquid will be operative so that a refill can be placed in the container or dispenser at an appropriate and proper time. In accordance with the invention, and utilizing the perforated container together with the porous absorbent material for retaining the air odor control liquid this is accomplished.

In the foregoing description the examples have been given of the air odor control composition which is utilized in liquid form and a preferred embodiment of the dispenser or container for holding the air odor control composition. It will be understood, however, that various substitutions and changes can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as described and illustrated herein and as set forth in more particularity in the claims.

What is claimed is:

An air odor control device consisting of a polyethylene plastic bag having a flexible sponge disposed therein, said sponge being saturated with optically active limonene liquid which is vaporizable at ordinary room temperature, said plastic bag being sealed during storage, said bag being sealed along the top edge portion and which is adapted to be severed and the plastic bag opened to expose a limited surface of said sponge for contact of air therewith and evaporation of said lirnonene liquid whereby controlled release of said limonene in vaporous form into the surrounding atmosphere is provided, said limonene liquid consisting of a gelled liquid composed of lirnonene and bentonite clay particles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,898,621 Ferguson Feb. 21, 1933 1,960,149 Gilot May 22, 1934 1,968,136 Gardner July 31, 1934 2,111,025 Galler Mar. 15, 1938 2,349,672 Nielsen May 23, 1944 2,711,346 Irwin et al June 21, 1955 2,757,957 Samann Aug. 7, 1956 2,766,067 Shinberg Oct. 9, 1956 2,809,863 Curran Oct. 15, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 6,249 Great Britain May 23, 1891 

